Captivity
by FaolanLupa
Summary: (post TP) Link is abruptly stolen away from his homeland. All he knows is that Queen Zelda and her Royal Court were involved. Not knowing where he is, or how to get back home, he faces a new set of trials. Where are the Goddesses when you need them? (No Slash. Rated for Graphic future scenes, rating may change) Disclaimer: I don't own the image or any others in my fics.
1. Ch 1 Confusion

A/N Welcome to the long-anticipated _Captivity_. It took forever to find the motivation to write again, but now, I'm back. I hit a couple bumps in the road too, but I learned a lot, so that's good. I'm taking a really good writing class this year, and some of the stuff I wrote is probably going to make its way to my Fictionpress. My writing has improved, but this one did feel a little lackluster, so feel free to tear into it. I'll try to post regularly, but maybe not. As for my other upcoming fics, it may be awhilr again, depending on how persistent my motivation is.

Yeah, this is a short chapter, but they'll get longer.

* * *

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find, me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

- _ **Invictus** by William Ernest Henley_

* * *

Hot rays of light bore down on all of the inhabitants of Hyrule, the sun remained uncovered and well on its way to the west. Such a day was better spent inside or washing away the heat in chilly rivers, not spent trudging halfway across the kingdom underneath the unforgiving sky. Tired hands clutched worn leather as waves of heat beat down in sharp, strong beams. Too hot to gallop, too hot to do anything, really. Epona huffed underneath the Hero of Twilight, a warm, shuddering jolt that brought him back from the bowels of his mind. Link shifted his weight gently, readjusting himself in an attempt to find comfort, of which the hard saddle offered none. Soft, blue eyes settled once again on the goal before their owner. In the near distance, Hyrule Castle loomed, glass and new stone wavered like jewels on the waves of hot air. The hero's eyes flicked away from the sight, a spark of contempt floating through them.

Tucked away in Link's saddlebag sat his neatly folded invitation. He didn't need to look at it again to know what it said, but he leaned down to pull it back out again, regardless. The letter hadn't changed at all, of course, but his eye was still drawn to the tight little signature resting just below Queen Zelda's; Dwennon Chadby, her newest -and obviously most successful- suitor. Being the all-glorified "Hero of Hyrule" he knew that he would get an invitation to the announcement of his sovereign's marriage, but he just wasn't expecting it so soon after Zelda became Queen. Usually an heiress would have to be wed before she received her title, which the princess would've had to have done, if it weren't for the overwhelming amount of people that wished her to be Queen. It didn't make much sense to Link that she would still choose to marry just months after her coronation. Yes, he was quite happy for her, but royalty never failed to baffle the young man.

Giving one more quick glance over the parchment and the sky, Link set Epona into a trot. The time for the announcement was drawing near, and although he was annoyed by social events, he wouldn't miss it for the world.

* * *

Everything was in motion. Creaks and moans of wood accompanied each little, jarring movement. Dust and sweat permeated the air in hot gusts through a flapping canvas. Shafts of light seemed both bright and dim as everything continued to rock back and forth. Muffled footsteps and the sound of hooves accompanied the overwhelming noises.

 _Where am I?_ Link's throbbing mind started to work once again, an ache set in swiftly, fuzzy and painful all the way down to the skin of his teeth. Old instincts kicked back in and he immediately forced himself to be alert. Joints and muscles joined the cacophony of the creaking wood all around the hero. His feet were still underneath his body, his arms numb and stiff. An excessive amount of ropes held him up by his chaffed wrists and he struggled to stand completely upright. A bone-deep soreness raged throughout his body, only broken by the cutting pain of a gag drawn tight across his mouth. And his head, sweet Nayru, his head _more_ than ached and throbbed; he could barely think.

Before Link could further assess his situation, the jarring motions came to an abrupt stop. He still couldn't feel his forearms, he couldn't even put his hands together with how far apart they were tied, held right above his shoulders; tight. It hurt. The quick stop made his sore shoulders cry out in pain. Everything shifted one more time before the canvas was thrown back, the summer light blinding Link. He didn't get a chance to see who or what got into the back of the wagon with him, all he felt was a rough hand grab his chin painfully, eliciting a sharp grunt from the brunette. He couldn't see more than dark spots, bright light, and the ominous, shadowy silhouette.

The rough hand did not let go, fighting it proved to be futile and painful. Up, down, left, right, his head was moved against his will; examined. Just as quickly as the silhouette came, it was gone, leaving Link to his confused pain and discomfort. Some feeling gradually began to return to his arms, with it came the sting of sweat dripping imto his rope burns. He was still incredibly dazed, his will to remain alert fading quickly. The pain in his skull made its rounds, around and around his head. He could smell the pain.

Without realizing it, he had been breathing heavily ever since the wagon stopped. Getting his wits about him, he calmed his breathing and immediately started tugging heavily on his bonds. Each tug sent a shockwave throughout his weary body, but he kept fighting with earnest. The more feeling that came back, the more aches plagued the young man. Desperation wrought of dread. He didn't know what would be coming, why he was there, all he knew were the ropes holding him captive. So, he fought.

Light once again flooded the small space where Link was being held. This time he fought harder, though his bonds offered no give. Many rough hands seized him, the shadows blocked his view of the sun as the ropes were removed. They wrestled his struggling form to the splintering floor of the wagon, tying more ropes on him, until they dragged him to the outside world. Splinters and new rope burns marred the hero's skin, his hands were tied in front of his body, the rope in the grasp of a large, hulking man. Spots and stars danced across Link's vision as an object made contact with his head, he went limp instantly. Dust disturbed by the movement around him tickled his nose and burned his eyes. A metallic clang reverberated through his body, whatever brief taste of freedom he could have had disappeared as the metal door to a prison wagon closed, encasing him once again in near-darkness.

Time passed in a consistent daze, only broken by the harsher bumps in the mystery road. Poor Link could scarcely think in snippets; nearly incomprehensible thoughts strewn amongst his emotions. Frightened and hurt, he could only just prop himself up and try to slip the gag off. Many thick ropes held him nearly immobile, allowing minimal movement, barely enough to painfully work the gag off. Head throbbing, he tucked his chin to his chest to try and keep it still. Hot sunlight continuously streamed through the few bars in the metal walls. It wasn't comfortable, the metal burned and hurt in the light, but he could barely move. He knew that he'd been in agony way worse than he was then, but he just couldn't remember when. The scent of metal was suffocating and the rusted floor itched and crumbled, leaving a fine, red dust wherever it made contact with him. Clanking metal, shouts, the sound of horses, the smell and feeling of his own pain and rust, the bright, burning light of the hot sun, it becae too much for the hero. Every excruciating bump wore on Link. Before long, his body started to tingle and go numb again, but his addled mind had already faded from consciousness long before it did.

* * *

Word got around quickly, such is the way of city life. People were already gossiping about the Queen and her suitor when Link stepped into Castle Town. The guards that usually hung around the perimeter of the market were missing, likely called to watch over the gathering inside the castle. People bustled around him, not sparing him a second glance. Not being easily recognized was a blessing for the hero, he wasn't wearing his typical garb, that and he'd left his weapons in a saddlebag, just as the invitation requested. Queen Zelda herself had asked him to relax for once and leave them, so he didn't really have a choice. She insisted he wear something nice and simple, something the tailor made him, a forgettable outfit of brown and ivory white.

The few guards Link spotted treated him with respect. They saluted, but remained otherwise stationary as they watched their hero pass by. Link knew he had plenty of time to spare, the shade of a building beckoned to him, inviting him to take sanctuary from the hot wewther. A moment to admire the world is never wasted, the summer sun shone bright in the Square, the fountain reflected its rays beautifully. Seeing the people go on with their lives, after all they'd gone through, it was refreshing. Link knew those streets well, he knew all the little secrets and corners. He knew that somewhere, around a corner, down a staircase, and into a humble bar, rested a place of kinship with his friends and the memory of a faithful companion. The air got a little fresher as he inhaled, filling himself with the sweet wind of content happiness. A good day, a beautiful day.

A glance at the sky spurred Link into motion, prompting him to start towards the castle. He strolled in through the main door with ease. Everything seemed fresh and new, the walls still held the hum of magic, telling the tale of how they were reconstructed. Link's boots made little sound on the soft, colourful rugs that paved the way to his goal. Upon arriving at the council room, the door creaked open at the royal guards' bidding. Stepping inside, he glanced around at the gathering, very few council members sat at the long table in the center. At the head of them all sat Zelda, standing behind her at her right side a young, wiry man with dark hair rested a hand firmly on her shoulder. Hearing the doors open, Link's sovereign looked up from the parchment before her. For a brief moment, silence lapsed across the entire room. Every head turned to face him, at least it seemed so, a head of ginger remained focused on the ground at his own feet.

Lifting her chin a bit higher, Zelda addressed Link, "We assume you know why you are here."

Link nodded, "Yes, your majesty."

He started to give her a small, gentle smile which faltered before it could make a full appearance. Her stare pierced him, a cold and hard look.

"Then you know better than to resist." Zelda's voice was distant; choppy.

He couldn't even begin to comprehend what happened. Deep within her icy eyes she remained vacant, a void of emotion; a phantom of her formal self. Strong arms -arms garbed in dark, unfamiliar armour- reached out and grabbed Link, the hero of her kingdom, a man he thought she considered a friend. He didn't get the chance to ask why; to protest. The second he struggled against those men, a bright light flashed, rebounding from the back of his skull to his eyes. The Hero of Twilight, a simple ranch hand, a friend of many, lay limp and unconscious in the arms of his captors. The image of the council he once trusted lay scattered in his mind, people he entrusted so much to were there. Among them, Shad hung his head and said naught a word as his friend was dragged away, once a respected hero; now stripped of his dignity.


	2. Ch 2 The Guilty Party

A/N "Weekly updates." I said, naively, completely unaware of what the school year had to offer. " _Weekly updates_." I said, not knowing of how difficult I made my job as the author, having purposefully started with a confusing first chapter. " _ **Weekly updates.**_ " I said, nervously, _months_ after the first chapter. "Well shit," I said, "I have done goofed."

I don't think I can apologize enough. Especially since I am just really, really glad I am out of school. This school year, _sheesh_. I've tried and tried to do this chapter on inspiration alone, but I gave up on that and finally storyboarded most of this, so YAY. I wouldn't say _weekly_ updates from now on, but you can probably expect them more often than _months_ apart. I basically scrapped a crap ton of stuff, though, which is one of the reasons this took so long. There's like no action in this chapter, BUT IT WILL GET THERE EVENTUALLY, OH BOY. (I literally have not touched fanfiction . Net for most of the school year, so sorry.)

Really, I am sorry. There are a lot of you that have been waiting all this time. Hopefully you guys didn't just jump the ship here, although I wouldn't blame you.

I have a lot to say, but you guys have been waiting a long time for this, so JUST LEMME SAY CUZ THIS IS _**VERY IMPORTANT**_ : YES I AM USING ANGLO SAXON NAMES AND REFERENCES, BUT IT IS NOT SUPER ACCURATE AND NOT _REALLY_ ANGLO SAXON, I JUST NEED A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE TO BASE STUFF OFF OF SO THIS IS UNRELATED TO ACTUAL HISTORY. OKAY THAT'S IT HAVE A VERY NICE DAY.

(Excerpt from a poem by an anonymous poet)

How could this be,

This is not how it should be,

But with the way things seem,

My chances seem so slim.

Can't forget the things I've done,

Can't erase the memories in my mind,

All the lies I told,

All the care I sold,

All the friends I betrayed,

All the monsters I portrayed,

Has turned to guilt.

My vision is blurred,

My mind is clouded,

My body is numb,

I feel so dumb,

For the things I've done,

Guilty, I am so.

–MJ(07)

Before the sun had even set the day Link departed for Hyrule Castle, soldiers moved into Ordon. They weren't familiar, far from it. The colours on their armour spoke of the noble that sat comfortably on Queen Zelda's right hand side, soon to be her groom. Their ears, however, were most bizarre. They matched that of the rural village's population; rounded and short.

A feeling of dread settled upon Rusl's taut shoulders, he knew those colours, and he definitely knew that breed of soldier. He fought against them, once. He tainted those purple clothes with red lifeblood, long ago. Rusl understood his sovereign's need to amend ties with the other kingdom, she was marrying a nobleman from that land, after all. Except, it made him uneasy. The minute he saw the dust cloud beyond the gate grow larger, his instincts bristled, he ushered Uli and Colin into their hut, keeping an eye on the gate as he handed his wife the cradle holding their newest child.

Before long, a small party of foreigners were at Bo's front door, conversing with the mayor using low voices and standing crowded around the large man. Rusl watched from a distance, standing with a hand on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist, the action a familiar habit. Jaggle, Hanch, and Fado stood with him, eyeing the newcomers suspiciously. They all knew of what troubles had occurred in the past with the other kingdom, but also of the attempts at fixing the dissention. Each of them glanced at each other, questions floating through their minds. Hanch looked like he was about to ask one of the numerous curiosities they all shared, when Bo turned to face them from his porch, waving all four men over.

"Fellas, meet the new guardsmen of Ordon." The mayor proclaimed, gesturing towards the assembled soldiers.

Rusl felt a jittery pulse jump from his heart, reflecting the uncertainty that coiled around his mind.

"Well, nice to meet you." Fado offered, his own unsureness bleeding through his accent.

A heavy air of hesitancy took reign, until the captain, as Rusl could tell from the varied attire, stepped forward and shook Fado's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too." He said, accent even thicker than Fado's, "My company and I will be glad to be in your service."

The captain gave a wide smile, curling it up til his cheeks reached his eyes. Jaggle and Hanch relaxed a little, as did Fado, but ever-diligent Rusl kept a steely gaze coasting over all of the men. Bo took a small step closer to Rusl, almost as though he could sense the hardened judgement from the man. The mayor likely felt as though he were stepping on eggshells, deeply afraid of cracking them, more so of cracking Rusl's currently calm composure. He was uncertain of whether or not the swordsman still harboured any ill will towards the foreigners.

Placing a steady, friendly hand on Rusl's shoulder, Bo started to explain the circumstances to his gathered friends.

"Queen Zelda and her suitor, Duke Chadby, kindly sent every province new guards to protect us. They," he nodded towards the purple-clad soldiers, "are here in a show of peace and unity. As Mayor of Ordon, I thank them and their Duke, fondly."

At that, the youthful captain smiled again, dipping his head in a small bow whilst ushering his followers to do the same. "The pleasure is ours, Mayor Bo."

The tense air did not dissipate, even as introductions were passed between them. Bo released Rusl to greet the other soldiers, the others joining him after introducing themselves. Captain Artair, as he introduced himself, held himself with an aloofness that showed his confidence in his own abilities. As a defender, he would likely prove to be immovable, as an offender; formidable. He was young, too, looking scarcely a few years older than Link, but much bulkier, and definitely much taller. The young man seemed both intelligent and powerful, a true predator underneath the shining iron armour and purple fabric. When Artair reached Rusl, their handshake was a silent fight of dominance and strength.

Firmly grasping the foreigner's hand, Rusl let his hold linger, "Welcome to Ordon Village, Captain," he ground out, "I am Rusl, a resident and defender of Ordona Province."

For a brief second, Artair's eyes flashed, before he responded in turn, finally letting his equally tight, clasped hand fall obediently to his side. "Ah, Rusl. Such a name is common from my land, it is what we call foxes. A fierce fox you are, as well, friend."

Rusl felt himself grimace, "Yes, well, my parents were from your land. As were many of the villagers here."

Artair gave a grunt of acknowledgement, "As was this land. We lost a lot of land in a war quite a few years back, if I'm not mistaken, this province was one of the many Hyrule claimed as their own." There was something in the Captain's voice, whether it was resignation or dampened anger, Rusl couldn't tell.

"You're not wrong, Captain, my blood doesn't have a single drop of Hylian, but I have served Hyrule and these people for years. This land was loyal to Hyrule, even before the war." Rusl let out a tentative, tense smile, trying to push away his own biases.

Offering a thin smile in return, Artair nodded, "I have been told as much, but surely you remember the scramble for land, this province was once part of the other kingdom. Or do you not recall the war?"

There was definitely venom in those words. Rusl let his own drip from his voice, clenching his teeth together, "Unfortunately, I do recall."

As though tasting or smelling the sour air between the two men, Bo materialized, greeting Artair and steering him away from the brewing argument. The mayor cast a pointed look at Rusl, almost as if he were both scolding him and pleading for the swordsman to get past his biased attitude. Rusl simply shot back a look of distaste, glancing at the visitors to show who it was directed to. Bo's only sharpened at that, softening as he turned back to Artair, showing him around the village.

Annoyance and old paranoia rumbled deep within the swordsman. The encounter pushing it to his chest, letting him internally puff up with pride in his country, and defense of Hyrule's honour. His thoughts drifted with the dust he scuffed into the hot air with his feet, following in clouds as he took refuge in the shade. _Let's hope they don't linger long,_ he thought, _Or let's pray to Din that the heat gets them before that, they must be cooking in that armour._ Rusl wasn't sure of how long he'd last with Chadby's men taking over his patrols and just existing in his presence in general.

He wasn't typically an irritable man, he made a bad impression with the soldiers. They were there in the name of peace, but all Rusl remembered them from was times of bloodshed, even if those soldiers were far too young to have seen the battles he fought. _Goddesses, this is one trial I wish you didn't send me._ A glance at the shiny mass of armour in the heat showed Rusl that the men were introducing their families to the gathered soldiers. Talo and Beth were chattering excitedly to one of them, whom of which was crouched to their level, smiling enthusiastically as Talo made sword-swinging motions that he learned from Link. _They seem friendly enough, at least._

With a sigh of resignation, Rusl headed back to his home, readying himself for the dozens of questions from his wife and son. The heat was unbearable from the sun, but it was nothing compared to Uli scolding him for already causing trouble with the nice new soldiers. All Rusl could do was hope Link would be back soon, so that they could both kindly explain to the 'guardsmen' that they had it handled, and would not require their service, thank you very much.

Soft rugs muffled each nervous step in the halls of Hyrule Castle, masking the uneven pace that was struggling to remain quiet. Uncertain, nervous breathing became the only sound beyond the rustling of expensive clothing and the clink of fingernails on light metal from readjusting glasses every few seconds. Shad, a scholar and recent member of the Royal Council, lacked the skill of sneaking around a castle. Nor was Shad a spy, definitely not a spy, but he wasn't a fool.

There was something wrong, he knew it the second Duke Dwennon Chadby kissed his Queen's hand upon their meeting. He knew it the second he heard tales of treachery being spun into his sovereign's ear. Not a fool, but a coward. He didn't say anything, not even when the tales of treachery turned to Link, the hero himself. By then, he had started to believe them himself, but one look at the young hero standing confused, in front of the Queen herself, had the ginger ducking his head, afraid for his friend and himself.

"Coward." He mumbled to himself, shakily cleaning his glasses once again.

Shad needed to find out what was to come of his friend, but he needed to be clever. The entirety of Queen Zelda's closest followers believed Link was a traitor, they couldn't know that one of their own doubted their ruler. _How did I convince myself that Link wanted the throne? Oh Farore, offer me courage and strength, I can't abandon my friend any more than I already have._ Padding quietly down the rest of the hall, Shad pressed himself shakily to the heavy, wooden door that separated him from Duke Chadby's meeting with the men who apprehended and incapacitated one of the strongest and kindest warriors of Hyrule.

Despite pressing himself flat against the door, only muffled vibrations reached his ears. Shifting his weight away from the door, he gathered his wits about him. _Farore, if you are to give me courage, now is the time._ Standing straight, with his shoulders set back, Shad inhaled, gathering all of his nervous energy and pushing it into his arm.

With numb knuckles, he knocked.

The sound resounded through the empty hall, and there was terrifying pause before the door swung outward, revealing the mildly disgruntled occupants.

Duke Chadby turned from where he was standing, peering past the servant holding the door opened, his eyebrows furrowed. It took barely a moment before his expression changed to curiosity. "Ah, my favourite historian," he greeted, "Come on in, Shad."

Shedding some of his nervous exterior, the ginger shuffled into the room, letting the servant shut it behind him. He offered a shallow bow to the Duke, and a greeting to those in Dwennon's presence.

"What brings you to this meeting, my loyal friend?"

Briefly, Shad thanked every entity out there that nervousness was a normal trait of his as he fumbled over his words.

"M'lord-" he started, before he was cut off.

Chadby tutted, waving him off, "No need for any of that, dear Shad. We are good friends now, formalities are far behind."

It could have been a trick of the torch light, but it seemed like one of the Duke's men rolled his eyes in the corner of Shad's vision.

Recomposing himself, he nodded, "As you wish, sir." the Duke made a face at being called sir, but didn't say anything, letting Shad talk.

"You see, I was wondering what you were planning to do with the…" he paused, masking his concern for Link with false disgust, "Treacherous heathen. The so-called hero must be punished. If it is okay with you, would you mind telling me what is going to come of him?"

The men standing around looked to their wiry Duke, waiting for his response as they glanced at each other.

A hardened gaze fell upon Dwennon, but softened if only a fraction, his composure similar to that of a snake that has long since killed its prey, now ready to devour it; relaxed and fiercely hungry.

"Ah," He said coolly, "He is already en route to my judicial system. The farther away that would- be assassin is from the Queen, the better. He will be tried and punished in my land."

Pride could've been found in how well Shad managed to keep it together after hearing that. His mouth went dry and his heart, filled with fear and concern, sloshed down to his feet, but his outward appearance betrayed none of that.

"Thank you, sir. I hope he gets the punishment he deserves." He heard himself say.

"As do I, my friend."

Giving another shallow, hasty bow, the ginger forced himself to walk calmly to the door, and the servant let him out. As soon as the heavy whoosh and click of the door met his ears, he started to let himself shake to pieces.

His breath was shallow, and his whistling gasps felt faint. He whispered breathlessly to himself, struggling for air and clarity, "A whole other…country? Oh Goddesses, poor Link. How has the Queen become blind to her friendship…? Oh sweet Nayru, I've got to… I've got to get some air…"

Going into battle felt far easier than walking into that room had been. The large, hulking men barely looked at him, yet he still felt like they could read his thoughts the entire time. Shad wasted little time in making his way to the outside world, his breath coming ever-shorter. _What have I done? I abandoned him. I am so sorry Link, for once I know nothing. I've not a clue as to what to do._

Tucking himself into a corner outside the castle, he struggled to catch his breath. Dozens of thoughts ricocheted in his mind, trying to connect coherently and offer some kind of semblance of an idea. Slowly coming back to the real world, his senses focused, but his mind did not. Pacing sometimes helped, and that was all he could manage to do, at the moment. He started off in one direction, ready to walk the entire length of Hyrule if he had to, in order to get his thoughts straight. However, he didn't get quite that far. Lost in desperate thought, he almost missed the stable, and the friendly huffing nicker a familiar horse offered.

"Epona!" he gasped.

They hadn't taken her! Whatever troubling thoughts he had quickly excused themselves as he rushed over to greet her back. Great sorrow suddenly rushed back into his being, dragging his heart down until the heart strings were drawn tighter than an archer's bow. Raising a hand towards Epona, he let her nuzzle it as he lamented in the darkest bowels of his mind.

"Oh Epona, I am so, so sorry." He sighed. "I failed your master. I'm at a loss."

He stroked her neck, taking hold of her reigns as he opened the stall door. She snorted at being handled, but calmed as he shushed her gently, patting her neck. All of the members of the Royal Council had a stall for their horses, Shad was never a good rider, leaving him an empty stall and slightly empty pockets for carriage fares. Epona let him lead her to his stall, letting her inside and offering some hay. After instructing the stable boy to tend to fetch food and water, Shad stepped forward and undid her reigns, working on her saddle next.

"I'm sorry, Epona. I'm doing this mostly for Link, it is the least I can do until I figure something out." He explained, as she gladly dined on some hay, "I promise I'll figure something out. I'll try and send a letter to everyone in the Resistance first. After that," he groaned as he pulled the hefty saddle down, "I don't know what we will do, but I'm hoping it will be enough."

The ginger smoothed down a few stray hairs on her coat, Epona flicked her tail contently, now drinking water from the now-full trough. Shad handed the stable boy a red rupee and thanked him, shutting the stable door, giving one last sorrowful sigh before heading to his quarters.

His night lasted well until sunrise, the letters and his mind keeping him up until his candles were stubs.

 _I'm sorry, Link._


	3. Ch 3 Untamed

A/N Hello, anyone still here? It's been awhile, I know. I'm starting to regret not working on this more in the summer. Especially now that spring semester midterms are on the horizon and I'm neck deep in assignments that need to be finished and should have been finished forever ago.

I apologize, again. Over the past month I've come to realize how much I miss this site. I've been reading Lucifer fanfiction on here and I really do miss how much I used to read in general. I started with Zelda fanfictions like 6-7 years ago and holy crap I miss the feeling of this all. It helps that I've been obsessed with Majora's Mask lately. I'm back, mostly to procrastinate my work, but I'm back for I'm not sure how long. Any upcoming chapters are likely to be rushed and unedited, I'm sorry. Anything is better than nothing, right?

EDIT: 3/8/19. I was originally going to make this longer and more hearty, but yeah. Same old health stuff keeps popping up and exams are on the horizon or busting down the door. This chapter is about a week and a half old. It's kinda just filler, sorry. I'm already workin on the next bit with more substantial content. I know it's still confusing, it'll make sense, and those that have stayed have been more than patient.

WARNING: I may change the rating to M instead of T due to dark themes, future excessive gore, and intense emotions and scenes. Let me know what you think concerning this, thank you.

XXVIII ["Truth," said a traveller]

Stephen Crane, 1871 - 1900

"Truth," said a traveller,

"Is a rock, a mighty fortress;

"Often have I been to it,

"Even to its highest tower,

"From whence the world looks black."

"Truth," said a traveller,

"Is a breath, a wind,

"A shadow, a phantom;

"Long have I pursued it,

"But never have I touched

"The hem of its garment."

And I believed the second traveller;

For truth was to me

A breath, a wind,

A shadow, a phantom,

And never had I touched

The hem of its garment.

Chapter 3

Oncoming evening chills crept their way through warm metal; ruffling thin, dirtied fabric against walls of rust. Shuddering and creaking, the metal wagon groaned to a stop, the sounds accompanied by the exhausted huffing of a great horned beast and the pained gasps of a worn hero. Link spent most of the day drifting in and out of lucidity, having remained in great discomfort the entire journey. Dusk had yet to fall, but the day was already blessedly cooler and far less suffocating than the dust filled afternoon air had been.

Now somewhat coherent, Link coughed to clear his lungs and dry throat of dirt, rust, and Goddesses know what else. With difficulty and a splitting headache, he pushed himself as best he could into what resembled a haphazard sitting position. Blinking his eyes clear, Link tried to get a better grasp of his surroundings now that the wagon wasn't moving anymore. Thin spaces between the flat, metal bars barely allotted any room to see out of. The back of the wagon was solid metal, only two sliding slits remained the solitary openings on the door itself. The higher slit was at eye level, while the lower was at the very bottom, he could barely comprehend many uses for them in his frazzled state. There wasn't very much space at all in the wagon, barely enough for two people at max to lay overlapping each other. As he looked around, he slowly but surely wormed his legs free of the rope. Giving a sigh of relief, he held onto the thick rope tightly as he readjusted himself into a more comfortable position.

After studiously looking over the interior, Link attempted to peer outside once again. It was difficult to piece anything together and the strain did little to help his aching head, but from what he could see, trees lined the dusty road and quickly turned into thick, dark foliage that hid the forest's contents. He could hear heavy voices speaking in an unfamiliar language from the front of the wagon. As they drew closer, Link struggled to make himself more upright. The gag he worked off earlier that day hung loose around his neck so he quickly pulled it off and shoved it into his pocket the best he could with his hands tied.

By the time he grabbed the rope that had been around his legs and repositioned himself by the door, a deep click resounded through the wagon and light flooded the area. Immediately, Link leapt to his feet, much to his body's protest, and launched himself out the back. Both he and the tall, stocky man he crashed into hit the road, hard. Dust rose up in a great, blinding cloud as the Hero of Twilight quickly pushed himself back up and dead sprinted to the treeline. Even with his arms bound and body sore and hurt, he managed to move swiftly. Behind him, loud shouts rang out, following him even as he stumbled and panted into the dark forest.

Fear and pain lanced through him and seconds felt like an eternity with the amount of adrenaline coursing through his body. Pain quickly dissolved and became numb despite how often he crashed into trees and tripped over the thick shrubbery. His perception was wildly off, making it extremely difficult to navigate his surroundings. He didn't get far before a thundering silhouette raced towards him from the corner of his eye, tackling him heavily onto the unforgiving forest floor.

Winded and frantic, Link fought back fiercely while gasping for breath. The man who tackled him fought back with just as much ferocity, trying to force Hyrule's Hero to remain flat on the ground. Sharp foliage scratched and stabbed at the both of them as they scuffled. Link was at a great disadvantage with his arms tied and his painful disorientation throwing him off. Somehow, Link managed to wrestle the man off of him. Taking the rope that was once tied around his legs, he pulled it taught against the man's throat with his knee against the foreigner's back, forcing him to the ground. Intending to simply scare and disorient the man, Link almost immediately let go after a few seconds before attempting to run again. Much to his surprise, the man managed to trip him up, delaying him just long enough to be caught by the others once again.

Link fought vainly in utter desperation against the four or so other bulky men that caught up with him. In no time at all, he found himself pressed painfully into the cold, wet, leaf covered forest floor. His legs were retied much tighter and the strong, unkind hands roughly dragged him back to the road. The men held malice and cruelty in their voices as they shoved and handled him. Link yelled back angrily several times only to be struck as he wormed and struggled and snapped at them. He earned himself a harsh kick when he spat the mud from his tussle into one of their faces.

Link felt his dignity become stripped away as he was slung over the shoulder of one of the hulking men to be carried back. Even while fighting back with all his might, the man's grasp held and the other's jeered at the small Hylian. He let his anger and frustration be known the entire humiliating walk back to the road. Pain and dizziness were quickly grasping at Link, but he refused to let weakness show.

Back on the road, it became evident that several other metal prisoner carts had joined them at some point, all pulled by large oxen he had never seen in Hyrule before. He thought he could catch a glimpse of several broken eyes staring back at him as he passed the wagons, but the golden sun made the rusty metals glow as evening came upon them and he could no longer trust his throbbing head. The guardsmen around him taunted Link with their unfamiliar words and cocky, piercing looks, but also with their deceptively familiar, round ears that reminded him of his home. His heart ached at the sight and memory, but his sore body helped keep his fire burning. Whatever happened in the castle, whatever made his sovereign and friend betray him didn't matter. All that mattered was that he knew he had been captured, and he knew he somehow needed to get home.

The next two days were excruciatingly similar and the journey felt like it was never going to end. Link was left with minimal privacy every few hours, but never enough time or space to break through his bonds. A guard began travelling in his wagon with him, never taking his cold, round eyes off of the bound Hylian. As he slept, Link remained vaguely aware of the motion around him. The harsh, shaking motions were emphasized by the hard surface underneath his unconscious form. Every shake and quiver dug into his mind, overlaying itself across the memory of how he came to be there. The memory of betrayal and pain. Sharp scents of filthy metal and aged rust ingrained themselves in his mind with the cold look of his sovereign and the shameful bow of a friend's head. It hurt. Goddesses it all hurt. Not just the bruises or chaffed skin, but his heart hurt. Every throbbing beat dug a spike into his aching head, and another stone pounded his being down.

The Hero of Twilight never quit struggling the entire journey, even if he paid through it with pain and an empty stomach rarely satisfied with any more than chunks of moldy bread. He was not a man easily broken or beat down and he was determined to prove so.


End file.
